Does anyone suppose that an individual metal filling can only leak so much mercury over time before it's expired? Or is each filling essentially a lifetime of slow but constant mercury into the bloodstream? Just a thought.
My guess is that it leaks mercury for as long as it's in. When they are being put in and when they are being taken out is when the most mercury is released into the body (hence need for the safeties in removal). Takes about 24 hours for the filling to set properly, so there is a lot of mercury released when they are put in.
As to how long before they need replacing, I'm not sure. Some say 10 years, but most of mine have been there for 20 and I would reckon that several have some life yet in them (as fillings). Others have worn away.
Filling leak when going in and continually until all the mercury has gone out, this is the point when the filling falls out or crumbles out. Usually takes a long time. I have fillings going on 20 years old that are still hard as a rock. They do recommend replacing them every 7 years, however, everytime you remove and reinstert amalgam filling you get larger doses of mercury. So best to either remove them for somthing else or leave them until you can put something else in. In other words, don't waste time and money removing an older filling only to replace it with a new metal one. As far as research shows, they leak the same amount.
According toR.L.Siblerud,(Psychological Reports,1989) ,a twenty yr old fillinghas lost nearly 100% of it's mercury.This shows that the ADA is lying when it claims fillings lose 1 microgm/day
The problem being is that when fillings are old and in the where mercury has leeched out, bacteria and yeast grows and that methylates the mercury left in the teeth...so they should be replaced, but my dentist obviously didn't want to replace mine, he kept telling me what great shape my mouth was in...I almost cried when I saw the pictures that my new dentist took...you can actually see where the mercury has leeched into the surrounding teeth. And he didn't want to remove them cause he didn't want to expose himself to unnecessary vapours, I guess he was waiting for them to fall out or for me to die, whichever came first.
For those interested, I have attached a before picture of my teeth, but beware, they are pretty gross <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />....can't wait to get the after ones!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Sandi
